


Luck of the Irish

by AboveTheRoses



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: F/M, Ireland, Irish Republican Army, Kidnapping, Murder, Mystery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-08
Updated: 2017-11-16
Packaged: 2018-05-19 05:37:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5955649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AboveTheRoses/pseuds/AboveTheRoses
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Reid is trying to come out of his awkward little shell and have a real relationship. But when a new case drags his new girlfriend in, Reid calls on an old friend for some advice and some help before he loses the first person he's ever really cared for.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I am not caught up with the current season of Criminal minds. I'm just writing this from the information that I know. What I've read online, ect. Don't make a big deal about it, just enjoy.

                Dr. Spencer Reid was sitting at his desk in the bull pen of the BAU. They had just finished wrapping up their latest case. Everything went well, or as well as it could go for needing to have them called in. The youngest member of the team closed the folder in front of him as he finished his report. After setting it aside, Spencer took a sip from the mug of coffee he always kept on hand and then started to pack up his satchel to head home for the day.

                “Hey pretty boy!”

                Spencer looked up at the dark skinned face of his friend and coworker leaning over the short wall that separated their desks. “Morgan?”

                “Did you get your picture taken yet?”

                “Excuse me? What picture?”

                Derek just shook his head. “You really need to get an email kid.” He chuckled. “We all need to get our ID badges updated. They brought in a photographer to take our pictures today. She’s in the meeting room down the hall with all her stuff.”

                Spencer looked down at himself. He wasn’t exactly wearing something suitable for his FBI identification photo. He was wearing his pretty standard sweater vest over a button down and tie but he wasn’t all that neat. It was wrinkled and frumpy under the coat he had just thrown on.

                As if he already knew what Reid was thinking, Morgan spoke. “Just take the picture Reid. No one is going to see what you are wearing.”

                “It’s not entirely about them seeing my entire outfit Morgan. It’s the fact that this is going to be my ID for the next five years and I want it to be professional. I am always treated as that strange awkward kid. I’m almost thirty-five. I want to at least _feel_ professional.”

                “We know you aren’t a kid Reid. It’s just a picture.”

                Spencer nodded and grabbed his things. He didn’t want to deal with this photographer. It’d be like high school all over again. Sit this way. Look here. Smile. No turn this way. Tilt your head. That’s too much. Look back this way.

                No matter what Spencer did he always looked like an awkward gangly teenager in his pictures. His mother still complained about it. Shaking his head, Spencer went down the hall to the conference room with the little sign on the door that said photographer. He quietly slipped inside and looked around.

                Set up in the one corner was one of those pale blue back drops and a small stool. White umbrella looking things covered lights to soften the flash from the camera on the tripod. Across the room sitting at the large conference table was a single woman who seemed impossibly bored. She had golden blonde hair tied up in a bun, blunted bangs resting over her pale brows. Dozens of freckles dotted her nose and cheeks under the brightest green eyes he had ever seen. She was staring down at a thick book that rested on the table next to an open sketch pad and a stack of more official papers and forms.

                Spencer cleared his throat.

                The small woman jumped, her bright eyes jerked up from the page in her novel and met Spencer’s gaze. “Oh! Hi!” She smiled, something warm and friendly.

                Normally being alone with strangers was awkward and made Spencer nervous, even at his age, but her smile somehow calmed his nerves.

                She pushed herself to her feet revealing a small frame covered in a dark dress and light grey cardigan, boots and heavy socks covered her lower legs. “I just need you to fill out a small form for me before we get started okay?”

                She had a thick Irish accent that Spencer wasn’t expecting. He simply nodded and set his bag down in a nearby chair before he took off his jacket. Then the woman handed him a pen and a single piece of paper. Any time Spencer heard an Irish accent it reminded him of Ian Doyle and how they had almost lost Emily. It normally unnerved him, but as his gaze shifted from the little form to the short blonde setting up her camera, he still had this sense of calm. His eyes took in the intricate cable patterns on her sweater and socks, definitely a traditional Irish design and definitely hand knit. Spencer shook his head and finished the form with a signature before straightening his tall lankey self and crossing the short distance to the photographer.

                “Here is your paper.”

                The woman smiled up at him before looking down at the paper and setting it aside. “Alright Dr. Reid. Go ahead and have a seat on the stool.”

                Spencer did as instructed and watched as she fiddled with some buttons on the camera and leaned in, her eye pressed up to the view finder. She never depressed the button, instead straightened. Approaching, she paused, her pale hands smoothing out her sweater.

                “Um, Dr. Reid?”

                “Yes?” He looked at her, they were about eye level with him sitting on the stool.

                “May I adjust your hair and your collar?” She smiled a bit nervously, a touch of color covering her freckles.

                Spencer looked up and caught a glimpse of his unruly hair. He had gotten it cut not too long ago but that didn’t help too much for taming it. “Um yes. Please do.” He thought back to the whole professional looking conversation he had with Morgan so even if it meant her touching him, he wanted to look good for the photo.

                The woman stepped closer and delicate fingers carefully straightened his tie and laid his collar flat under the edge of his sweater vest before moving up to his hair. He could feel her finger gently rake his wavy locks a few times as she tried to get them to lay in something that was neat.

                “My hair has never been something that likes to cooperate Miss…” His gaze tried to shift up to catch hers. JJ always reminded him to be more outgoing and people friendly. This was a good chance to practice those skills. Ask for a name, try to make small talk. The kind of thing he was normally terrible at.

                “Oh, it’s Aisling O’Leary.”

                “Miss O’Leary.” Spencer said again to commit it to memory but his eyes were trained on something else. A small copper pendent was hanging around the woman’s neck. Carved into was a vertical line dissected by small groupings of horizontal lines in a seemingly random pattern. A puzzle. One Reid had never seen before and he was just dying to figure it out.

                Aisling had finished playing with his hair and returned to the camera. After a few simple instructions, she snapped a few pictures and turned the thing off. “Alright. You are all done.” She smiled but it faded when Spencer didn’t move. His gaze was trained on her chest, or rather the pendent that rested there. AS more heat converged on her features she shifted her weight. “Dr. Reid?”

                The man shook his head and blinked. “I’m sorry, I was looking at your necklace.” Spencer touched his own chest in a mirror place to where the object was on her. “It’s quite fascinating. I’ve seen quite a lot but I can’t quite figure out what all the markings on it are. Is it some kind of puzzle?”

                She breathed a sigh of relief before smiling and picking up the small piece of copper from her chest. “It’s not a puzzle. It’s Ogram.”

                “Ogram?” Spencer was thoroughly intrigued now. Most things he had at least heard of in passing. Caught some kind of glimpse of in some text book but this… this completely escaped him. “Okay… I’m a genius and I have absolutely no idea what that is.”

                The woman giggled. “It’s an ancient form of Celtic writing.” She pulled the little black cord over her head and motioned Spencer over to the table. After pulling her sketch book over and flipping past a highly detailed portrait sketch of Garcia, she came to a blank page and started making a series of lines down the side of the page.  “You read it from the bottom up. The necklace says my name, it means _dream._ ” She went through and tried to explain how the archaic language worked.

 

                The pair ended up sitting down next to each other and delving deep into a conversation about old Irish linguistics as Reid tried to add yet another language skill to his arsenal. The conversation lasted much longer than either anticipated.

                “Wow… three PhD’s.” She smiled. “That’s some resume for someone our age.”

                “That’s what happens when your brain works like mine, but people tend to not like it when I talk about that kind of thing. Something about me coming off as condescending or something. But, where did you go to school?”

                She chuckled. “I didn’t.” She admitted. “I’m from a really small village in Ireland. We didn’t have the money to send me to the city for uni.”

                Spencer just looked at her a bit impressed but a bit curious. Most people didn’t make it in the professional world without a degree. Aisling must have seen the look because she kept talking .

                “I was always good at art so I went with it. I practiced and got really good with a pencil and a camera. I like doing art photography but I’m a freelancer for business, I do school portraits, senior portraits, weddings, business,  all of those things. That’s how I get by. Then I do my own personal art in my free time.”

                Art was always something that escaped Spencer. Being so practical and book smart. The creative part of the world just seemed to be something to enjoy, not something he could ever add to.

                “You’ll have to show me your portfolio sometime.” The statement just kind of slipped out. Spencer liked art, he just wasn’t good at it. But he wasn’t one for asking random people about it. There was just something about this woman that was calming and he wouldn’t mind her company again. Even with the lack of education she held good conversation.

                She blinked at stared at him. “Really? Well I…” Aisling glanced up at the clock. “Oh bugger. Is it really that late?” She jumped to her feet and started to hastily tear her things down.

                Spencer watched a bit surprised for a moment before he started to help her. “Is everything alright?”

                “Yeah, I just have to get home and pick up Murphy. I promised him we could go out to dinner tonight.”

                For some reason the mention of another man’s name left a sour feeling in Spencer’s gut. His movement’s slowed a bit as he placed the lights in their proper cases. “Oh… I didn’t mean to keep you.”

Honestly he didn’t realize it had been so late either, but she had been such great company.

                “Oh!” She smiled, seeing his suddenly dour demeanor. “It’s okay really. Normally It wouldn’t matter but my god son has a pep-rally tonight and wanted to go out to eat beforehand.”

                “God son?” The knot in his gut started to disappear.

                Aisling nodded. “Yeah, I’m his guardian…. He’s in high school so he runs around with friends most nights or is at swimming practice so dinner isn’t really something we eat together most nights.”

                “Oh I see.” Spencer closed one of the cases he had been helping her pack.

                Aisling looked at him, her bright eyes a bit entrancing. “If you really want to… I can show you my portfolio some other time?” She seemed a bit hesitant to ask.

                But she shouldn’t have been, because as soon as the words left her mouth, Spencer blurted out the word. “Absolutely.” His own features reddened.

                A picture perfect smile crossed her face. “Good.” She gathered up her bags and slung them over her shoulders, taking on the appearance of a tiny pack horse. “You have a busier schedule then I do so… here’s my card. Call me if you want to have coffee and look at photos… or you know, just talk.” She gave him another smile and a small wave before waddling out of the conference room and out of sight.

                Spencer gave her a delayed wave, still a bit dumbfounded by what had just happened. Hell, the past few hours had just confused the hell out of him. He looked down at the simple business card. _Aisling O’Leary;  Professional Photographer_. Her phone number and email address along with a website were scrawled across the bottom edge.

                “Reid?”

                A familiar voice caught Spencer off guard and his head jerked up in the direction of the door. Morgan was standing there, dressed in his coat, a few folders tucked securely under his arm.

                “Reid what are you still doing here? I thought you went home hours ago.”

                “I got held up here.” Spencer shoved the business card in his pocket and grabbed his things that had been neglected in the chair by the door.

                Morgan put a hand on his hip. “Held up?” He glanced at the paper still taped on the door. “In the room where the photographer was?” There was a small moment where Spencer saw a hint of fear on his friends face, fear that Spencer had slipped and was hiding something like his old drug habit, or that his migraines were getting bad again. But instead, Morgan smiled like he normally did and teased. “What, were you flirting with the pretty little photographer?”

                “Um, I’m not sure actually. You have never quite clarified what exactly it means to flirt so I don’t quite know if that’s what was happening because really we were just talking about Ancient Celtic texts and lore and how the Celts kept records  and it was so weird I’ve just never found it so easy to talk to any one we just kind of lost track of time and…”

                By now the other agent walked up to the younger man. “Whoa whoa whoa…” He laughed. “Are you serious? You were really in here chatting up that pretty little Irish girl?” He put a hand on his chest. “MY baby boy is growing up.”

                Spencer huffed. He shouldn’t have said anything. Tugging on his jacket he pushed his way past Morgan. On his way to the elevator he nearly bumped into Garcia and the brightly dressed woman gawked at him as he hammered the button to descend to the lobby of the building and exit. His great afternoon was quickly spiraling downward.

                “What’s wrong with him? He heard her voice just before the door closed.

               

                Sitting in the worn leather arm chair of his living room, Spencer couldn’t focus on the book in his hands. It was one of his favorites but Sherlock just wasn’t doing a good job at keeping his attention. Digging into his pocket Spencer pulled out Aisling’s business card. He flipped it around his long fingers for a few moments before he grabbed his cell phone off his end table. After punching a few buttons he tucked the object against his ear.

                “Hello, this is Aisling O’Leary.”

                “Miss O’Leary, it’s Spencer Reid… from the BAU  this afternoon.”

                “Oh! Dr. Reid!”

                He smiled hearing the excitement in her voice. “Sorry to call you so late but… I was wondering if you would want to go get that cup of coffee? Say tomorrow?”

                “That sounds great.”

                “Outstanding. I will call you tomorrow and we can figure out a time. Have a good night.” Good mood returning, Spencer hung up the phone and returned to his book.


	2. Chapter 2

                The team at the BAU sat around the conference table on Hotchner’s orders. The bright red hair of Penelope Garcia came bouncing into the room. “Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! I just finished printing out the last victim’s information.” Her brightly polished fingers passed out the files to the other team members before she grabbed the remote linked up to her computer to display the case on the plasma screen.

                “Alright boys and girls, this case brings us…. Well, it brings us here. To D.C.” A map flicked up on the screen with four little red dots displayed on it. “Our local case involves four victims. Age, race, sex, social class, they are all over the place. Nothing seems to link them together.” She clicked and images of a high school football player, a newlywed couple, a businessman, and a pregnant woman.

                Morgan closed his folder. “If none of these deaths have anything in common then why are we looking at them Baby Girl?”

                “I am ever so glad you asked my chocolate god.” She turned her back to the screen and clicked the remote again. Suddenly crime scene photos of all the victims appeared. “All of the victims were missing for seventy two hours before they were killed in the same fashion and then dumped in a seemingly random location.”

                “They were all killed with a forty five round to the forehead.” Spencer said as he scanned the document before him. “Were there any signs or torture?”

                “Actually, yes.” Garcia pulled up another series of photographs. “All of their fingers were broken. And they all had some kind of knife wound on their lower back.”

                As the images appeared on screen, they all looked. “They don’t seem to be life threatening kind of injuries…” JJ commented.

                “And they don’t match either.” Rossi mused as he scratched his chin.

                “They appear to be post-mortem.” Spencer informed them. “There is a significant lack of blood loss around these particular injuries as compared to the blood that pooled around the bruising of the broken fingers.”

                “Why would anyone inflict such a small cut after killing someone?” Morgan asked.

                “Maybe it’s the signature.” Rossi looked at him. “There doesn’t seem to be any type of sexual component to the cut, or a rage induced necessity to it so perhaps it is the Unsub’s signature.”

                “But they are all different.” Spencer mumbled to himself, his brow furrowing as he tried to figure it out.

                Hotch got to his feet. “Alright everyone. JJ you go touch base with the local police chief that handed over the case, see what the media knows. Rossi, you and Reid go talk to the widower. Morgan, you go talk to the parents of the football player. I’ll take the business man’s apartment, JJ meet up with me when you are done and we can head over to the other victim’s home.”

                They all nodded and headed out to their designated destinations. Which were located in D.C, Virginia and Maryland.

 

                Their interviews weren’t all that productive however. Upon return to the BAU they were no closer to linking the victims together than when they had started. It was late and with no leads Hotchner told everyone to go home and get some rest.

                Spencer started to gather up his things as he pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. But before he even pressed a button, Morgan spoke from behind him.

                “So, how long have you been dating the little Irish girl?”

                Spencer whipped around, heat touching his face. “What?”

                “I found you in the conference room she was in last month pretty boy, don’t play dumb.”

                He looked away. “I don’t know if we are dating or not. We just go out and spend time together. There isn’t anything wrong with enjoying her company is there?”

                “Of course not.” Morgan took a step closer. “But if you want it to be anything more than just company… you have to make that kind of move.”

                Spencer looked back down at his phone. He closed it before shoving it into his pocket and scooping his things into his arms. He’d call Aisling when Morgan wasn’t around. Hurrying to the elevator he heard his friend chuckling behind him.

                Walking to his car, the educated man pulled his phone out once more and pressed it to his ear. It rang a few times before he heard a sweet voice on the other end.  “ _Dia Duit!_ ”

                “H-Hello.” He bit his tongue when he stuttered. The elegant way the Gaelic flowed off her lips always caught him off guard.

                “Oh! Dr. Reid!” He could hear the smile in her voice. “How are you this evening?”

                “I’m well. I was wondering if you had any plans for dinner this evening?” Spencer was surprised to find his hands sweating as he stood outside his car, waiting to hear her answer. It was a chilly fall night so why did he feel so nervous.

                There was a pause on the other end of the line before the woman spoke. “Actually no, I don’t. But… Murphy took the car to his friend’s house.”

                Spencer opened his mouth to speak but shut it promptly. He wanted to take her out to dinner and discuss the progress of their friendship and potential relationship. How was he supposed to do that now?

                “If you’d like you can come over here and I can make us dinner?”

                “Really?” The word escaped him before he could form a more intelligent sounding response.

                “Mhmm.  I’ll text you the address. See you soon!” She hung up and a few seconds later his cell phone buzzed with a new text.

                Spencer climbed into his car and put his satchel in the passenger seat before he headed out to the address on his phone. The drive was quiet and took him to a small neighborhood outside of D.C. It was a quaint little place full of tiny homes and sidewalks lined with maples and oak trees. Finally Spencer found the smallest house tucked away in the back of the development. It was a little one story structure covered in creeping vines and surrounded by bushes and plants that had lost their flowers to the chill of fall.

                After parking out front Spencer walked up to the front door, pausing to read the Gaelic sign hanging above the numbers before he knocked. There was a soft orange glow coming from the little window in the door.

                He heard some movement inside before something disrupted the light. Then the door opened and Spencer was greeted by the short blonde he had been spending so much time with. The smell of wildflowers and tea greeted him instantly as well as the warmth of a fire.

                “Dr. Reid.” Aisling smiled and stepped aside as she hung on to the door. “Please come in.”

                Spencer nodded. “Thank you.”  He stepped inside as she closed the door behind him and took a look around. Dried flowers hung on the wall beside photos of a young man he could only guess was her god son. Rustic furniture was set in the next room beside a cluttered book shelf  and the small fire place. A small hall way led to bedrooms and the bathroom and straight across from the front door was the kitchen and a tiny dining area.

                “I’m glad you could come over. When Murph asked to borrow the car I didn’t even think about what I would do tonight.”

                “That’s okay, It was a nice drive over here and traffic wasn’t bad at all. You have a very nice home. It is quaint and reminds me of a cottage from one of my favorite novels …”

                She started to giggle and Reid stopped talking as he felt heat touch his cheeks. “Thank you.” She motioned him to follow her into the kitchen. “I miss Ireland so I did what I could to bring it here. Murphy likes the states. And I do too but… working in the city is so much different than the village we came from.”

                “That’s completely understandable. If you live somewhere you want it to feel like home.”

                She nodded. “Please have a seat. Dinner should be done soon.” She turned to the stove. “I hope you like Sheppard’s pie.”

                Spencer sat down at the small table and unbuttoned his coat as he watched her. “I’ll be honest and say I’ve never had it but I’m sure it’ll be delicious.” His eyes took in her features as she moved about the features gathering their plates and other necessities. Her golden hair was pulled back in a high pony tail revealing the soft curve of her neck as it led down to her slight frame.  The man had to close his eyes and look away. Aware for the first time that he was doing something a bit uncouth.

                “I’m sure you’ll like it.” The woman  pulled out a dish from the over and brought it over to the table before fetching the plates and silverware. Once everything was laid out she finally took a seat beside Spencer.

                As they dug into the meal the conversation began. “So how was work?”

                “A bit frustrating today actually.” Spencer admitted. “We are on a new case but nothing on it seems to make sense. We have gone over everything and talked to everyone that seems to be connected to the victims but so far nothing seems to connect them together. I am at a loss as to what connects them together. Until I do that we are at a standstill and I’m afraid…” He sighed and put a smile on his face, he didn’t want to bring up such sour topics in such plesent company. “Hopefully tomorrow will bring some new insight.”

                Aisling looked up from her dinner. She crossed her legs under the table and her foot brushed against Spencer’s leg. They both blushed. “Well, you are a genius and your friends are all rather smart. I’m sure you can all figure it out.”

                Spencer poked at his food, trying to sort out the tingling sensation where her foot had brushed against him. “I hope so. But how was your day? Did you get a new job assignment?”

                The woman perked up. “Oh yes I did! I am going to be shooting an engagement photo series this weekend with a lovely couple. I have a meeting with them tomorrow to set up location and specifics.”

                “That’s great!”

                Dinner finished up and Spencer helped Aisling carry things to the sink. But as the woman tried to clean them up, he shut off the water and took her hands, pulling her away from the sink. “Dr. Reid?” Flushing, the woman followed as he pulled her towards the living room.

                “I’ve told you fourty six times already, you can call me Spencer.” He looked down at her, not relinquishing her hands.

                “Spencer.”

                He grinned, the way she said his name sent a chill down his spine. Something he hadn’t felt before. Not from any of the other women he had ever tried to get involved with. “Aisling I…” Spencer closed his mouth as he struggled to find the words he wanted. They had been spending nearly every day together, movies, art galleries, walks in the park, coffee shops, he just wanted her to know that he cared about her. His eyes darted around as he fumbled for what to say.

                Suddenly he felt her tug on his hands and pull him down. Before he knew what was happening, he felt her soft lips press against his.

                Spencer’s heart stopped. The whole world seemed to stop as his brain tried to process the moment. It couldn’t, so instinct took over. His hands slid up to her cheeks and held her there for a moment as his mouth moved against hers. When he pulled away to breathe Spencer stared down into her crystal green eyes.

                She beamed up at him. Then the telephone rang and she jumped. “What poor timing.”

                Spencer smiled and let her go. The woman crossed the room and picked her cell phone up off the end table. “Dia Dhuit!” She said cheerfully as her gaze drifted back to Spencer, a smile still on her lips. But the smile quickly faded.

                “Ce he seo?.... Conas a rinne tu a fhail ar uimhir theileafoin?...Dia dhuit?... Hello?... Answer me!” She slammed the phone down on the table.

                Spencer was at her side in an instant, a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “Aisling? Is everything okay?”

                She gave him a smile but he could see it was forced. “Of course.”

                “Aisling… the muscles on your face are tensing up and making your forehead wrinkle in the way it only does when you get frustrated. Only this is much worse. Talk to me.”

                The woman sighed and avoided looking at him. “I… It’s complicated Spencer.”

                Spencer pulled his hand away from her suddenly afraid that he had crossed some kind of line. Aisling’s eyes got wide and she looked from his face down to the hand now hanging limply at his side. “Oh no… I just… Before we moved to America things were… different.” She took his hand in both of hers.

                She was lying. It was plain as day to the profiler but there was more. Fear. An incredible amount of fear. Spencer gave her hand a squeeze. He wouldn’t press the subject for now. Hopefully she would learn to trust him enough to tell him one day.

                “Oh! I have something for you.” She changed the subject, her cheerful demeanor starting to return. She pulled him over to the sofa and pushed him to a seat before going to her book shelf. It was full of old literature from Ireland and Scotland. Poetry and artist reference books. But tucked behind one of the books was a small box. Pulling out the little box she came over and sat down beside the FBI agent and handed it to him.

                Spencer looked at her as he took the box. “What’s this?”

                “A gift silly. Just open it, it’s nothing fancy.”  She sat on the edge of her seat, eagerly awaiting.

                Deft fingers pulled at the twine that held that held the lid on before he opened it and revealed a soft fabric. Pulling it out Spencer saw the elaborate cable patterns on a hand knit scarf. “Wow… did you make this?”

                The woman nodded. “I didn’t have anything to do for the last few days so I thought I’d knit you something. Besides, it is getting a little chilly out.”

                Spencer watched himself reach over and grab her hand. It was so small and delicate, even in his own relatively pampered hands. “I don’t know what to say.”

                “Do you like it?” She asked.

                “Of course I do.” He leaned over and kissed her.

                “What the hell!”

                Aisling almost screamed as she pulled away from Spencer and looked up at the muscled red head in the door way.

                “You two just have to makeout on the couch in the den. Can’t get a room?”  He snorted and rolled his eyes as he  stomped to his bedroom.

                Aisling averted her eyes. “Well… Spencer, that would be Murphy. I had hoped you two would meet under better circumstances…”

                “I can go talk to him.” Spencer already felt his palms starting to sweat. What was he thinking? Trying to have a man-to-man conversation with a teenager that clearly had a good 100 pounds on him. But He really liked where things were going with Aisling, he didn’t want anything to screw it up, even if it was something so simple as her god-son disliking him.

                Just as he got to his feet, the device in his pocket started to buzz. Pausing, he pulled it out and put it to his ear. “Reid.”

                It was JJ. “Spence, there’s been another body. Everyone’s coming in. It’s going to be a late night.”

                “I’ll be right there.”  He hung up the phone and looked down at the woman seated beside him. A frown marred his face. “I have to go.” His heart sank as he watched her smile disappeared. “I’m sorry.”

                “It’s okay.” Aisling got to her feet and took one of his hands. “Your work is much more important. Lives are at stake.” She pulled him down to a small kiss. “Call me later.”

 

                Spencer was disappointed he had to leave, but they had made great progress, and he couldn’t hide the grin on his face as he drove back into work. Walking back into the BAU he was greeted by the rest of the group but they didn’t even give him a chance to set his things down before they took off to the latest crime scene.

                Upon arrival, the team found a couple sprawled out in an abandoned lot. Tortured and shot just like all the other victims. Morgan lifted up the shirt of the male victim and looked for the small knife marks, again they were their but again, they didn’t match the other victims. After documenting them and exploring the crime scene, the team got ready to head back to the BAU to go over everything.

                One of the local cops stopped Morgan and handed him a plastic bag with one more piece of evidence in it. The well-built man stopped dead in his tracks as he looked at the little crumpled business card half covered in blood. “Oh shit…”


	3. Chapter 3

                “We have a problem.” Derek frowned as they all gathered around the table in the conference room.

                “I’ll say. We still have nothing.” J.J. ran her hand through her hair as she sighed and looked at the pictures they had taped to their board.

                Morgan shook his head. “Not anymore.” He pinned the little evidence bag to the board.

                “What is that?” Rossi got to his feet to inspect the business card. After a moment he looked over at Morgan. “This name looks familiar. Why do I know it?”

                The FBI agent sighed and looked over at spencer. “Because she was the photographer that was here a few months ago to take our ID pictures.”

                Spencer looked up from the folder in his hand, eyes wide. Scrambling from his chair he rushed to the board and yanked the business card off.  He read the name over and over, the little embossed letters that formed a name he had said hundreds of times. Only now the letters were covered in blood. His stomach churned and instantly he feared for her safety.

                The others however, were across the room discussing her like a suspect.

                “We need to bring this woman in and question her.” Hotchner said. “Garcia check the schedules of all the other victims, see if any of them had appointments with this woman.”

                “Right away sir.”

                “Wait. You can’t seriously think Aisling is the Unsub.” Spencer blurted out.

                They all looked at him.

                “Spencer , be reasonable.” J.J. said softly. “We have to follow the evidence.”

                “Um, Sir?” Garcia walked back into the room and took everyone’s attention. “I couldn’t find electronic records from the victims tying them to Aisling O’Leary. However….” She clicked her little remote and Aisling’s business website came up on the screen. Garcia clicked again and some recent photo shoots came across the screen. Some of which included all of the victims.

                Spencer fell into the nearest chair, baffled. How could she possibly be connected to all of them? _All_ of them?

                “Morgan.” Hotchner looked at him. “Take Reid and talk to her.”

                The pair drove the short distance to her house in silence until the muscle bound one could no longer stand it. “Look kid, no one is saying that she did this. She is just somehow connected to all of this. We just need to talk to her.”

                “She didn’t do this.” Spencer mumbled.

                Morgan didn’t say anything, he just pulled up out front of Aisling house and looked at the little structure. Spencer looked at him and watched as the other already started profiling the place. It was late, the FBI agent was surprised to see a faint orange glow still coming from the windows. Spencer climbed out of the car and led the way up to the front door. Before he knocked he stopped.

                “Let me talk to her first, please?”

                Morgan frowned but nodded.

                Spencer knocked on the door. It took a moment, but the sound of small shuffles could be heard before the door finally opened and Spencer was greeted by a slightly disheveled looking Aisling. Her hair was a bit messy like she had just woken up.

                “Spencer?” She rubbed at her eyes. “What are… What time is it? Is everything alright?” She looked from his to the man behind him and quickly sobered up. “Spencer? What’s going on?”

                “Aisling, we need to talk to you.” He frowned. “May we come in?”

                Slowly she nodded, her brow furrowed as she looked at Morgan, confused by his presence.

                Spencer put a hand on her back and guided her into the kitchen to have a seat before he sat down across from her. Morgan wondered the living room, taking in everything while they talked.

                “The case I’ve been working on for the past few days has been really difficult.”

                “I know. You told me you couldn’t find anything that linked them or… something…” Aisling said, a frown marring her freckled face. “Did you find something today?”

                “We did.” Spencer sighed. He glanced into the other room where Derek was looking at Aisling’s book shelf.  His eyes returned to hers and again he saw that fear in her eyes. “We found your business card on the victims tonight. And it seems as though you have done photos for all of the victims in the case.”

                She pulled back, eyes wide. “What?” The woman shook her head. “No. No…. you can’t possibly think that I… that I am involved with…”

                Spencer reached across the table and grabbed her hand. “Of course I don’t.” He squeezed her hand. “But you are the only thing that links all these people together. The team has nothing else and they want answers.” He said softly.

                She pulled her hand from him. “Well I don’t have answers for them! I didn’t do anything!”

                “Who the hell are you?!” Everyone turned and saw a shirtless redhead staring at Morgan in the living room.

                “I’m Agent Morgan with the FBI I’m here with Dr. Reid.” He flashed his badge.

                “Dude it’s like one in the morning, what the hell are you two doing in my house?” Murphy brushed passed him and went to the kitchen. The teenager stopped when he saw the look on Aisling face. “Ais… you okay?” He looked at Spencer. “What the hell are you doing?”

                “Just talking.”

                “Yeah well, the conversation is over. You two can leave.” Murphy pointed to the door.

                “Sorry we disturbed you.” Morgan looked at Spencer and motioned to the front door.

                Spencer got to his feet and frowned as he looked the woman across the table. “Aisling…”

                But she looked away from him. Hanging his head, Spencer turned and followed Morgan back to the car.

                Back at the BAU the team discussed Aisling, the things that Morgan had observed about her home and her godson, but Spencer was little help. Halfway through their discussion, Spencer got to his feet and disappeared to Garcia’s computer lair.

                “Reid? What can I do for our boy wonder?” She glanced at him from the corner of her eyes before she looked back at the screen.

                “Can you look up who called someone?” Spencer asked her.

                “Oh mon chere, that is like tying your shoes! The simplest of tasks!” She grinned. “Phone number please?” She sang.

                Spencer rattled off Aisling phone number and watched Garcia pull up a list of her received phone calls in the past month almost instantly. The woman paused. “Half these calls are from you Spencer. Who’s number did you just give me?” She turned fully and looked at him.

                “Our latest suspect…. My girlfriend.” He mumbled the last half.

                Garcia frowned. “The photographer… So why am I looking at her phone calls?”

                “Someone called her last night, it really upset her, but she was talking in gaelic so I don’t know what she said. I could just tell she was really scared. I want to know who it was.”

                The woman turned back to the screen. “Do you remember what time?”

                “After dinner. Around six or seven I’d guess. I’m not sure.”

                “The only number that is showing up around that time is… restricted.” Garcia frowned.

                “Can you find out who it is?” Spencer looked at her.

                Garcia tried to work her magic, her fingers flying across her keyboard as she tried to unlock the hidden number. Then a big red warning flashed up on the screen blocking her from moving forward and her telephone rang. “Uh,oh…” She picked up the phone. “H-Hello?” She looked at Spencer and handed him the phone. “You might want to take this.”

                Spencer took the phone. “Dr. Reid here.”

                “Reid, mind telling me what you’re doing?”

                “Emily?” Spencer stared dumbly at the phone for a second before putting it back to his ear. “Emily what’s going on?” After taking out Ian Doyle, Emily went back to Interpol to work on taking out the rest of the top members of the IRA.

                “Why don’t you tell me Reid. Why do you have Garcia looking up numbers of the IRA. We have them flagged in case they try to track each other. That number hasn’t been used in months. What are you doing looking it up?”

                “IRA?” Spencer sat down and ran a hand over his face. “But…”

                “Reid… Why are you looking up the IRA. That number belongs to the man that replaced Doyle as their head. He is bad news. What is going on? Talk to me Spencer.”

                “He called my girlfriend.” Spencer mumbled.

                “What?”

                “My girlfriend… she moved here from Ireland. And now she is somehow involved in our latest case.” 

                “Get her somewhere safe. Now Reid. I’ll be stateside tomorrow. If Connor is involved, this is going to get very ugly.”

                They both hung up and Spencer got to his feet.

                “Reid? What’s going on?” Garcia asked as he hurried from the room.

                When he walked in the conference room the conversation stopped. “This just got bigger than we expected. Prentis will be here tomorrow.”

                “Prentis?”

                “Emily?”

                The room rang out in a chorus of confused unison.

                “Why is she coming?” Morgan asked as Spencer grabbed his bag.

                “Because the IRA is involved.” He slung his bag over his shoulder and turned to the door but Morgan grabbed his arm. “Excuse me, but I have to make sure nothing happens to my girlfriend.”

                Morgan watched him walk out as he picked up his phone and called the woman overseas to verify what the hell was going on.

 

                Spencer found himself standing outside of Aisling’s house for the third time in what seemed to be an endless night. The lights were off this time though. He sighed and held his hand out before gently knocking on the door. Spencer wasn’t expecting an answer, but he hoped that maybe someone would be awake.

                It was a few long minutes before he heard the door unlock and he was greeted by the unhappy face of a teenager.

                “What do you want now? You do realize it’s the middle of the night right?”

                “Is Aisling awake?” Spencer asked.

                Murphy snorted.

                “Please. It’s important.”

                The redhead motioned him inside and shut the door behind him. “You really upset her earlier, you know.” He sighed. “I think she is still awake, she’s back in her bedroom.”

                Murphy disappeared into his own bedroom and left Spencer standing in the hallway. The BAU agent set his bag and jacket down at the table before he looked down the hallway. He wasn’t too sure what to do, he didn’t feel completely comfortable walking into the woman’s bedroom but he needed to talk to her and he wanted to make sure she was okay, explain things, make sure _they_ were okay.

                He made his way down the hall and gently knocked on her door before opening it. “Aisling?” He said softly as he let himself inside. A faint light was coming from a small lamp on the night stand illuminating a cluttered room of art supplies and drawing desks surrounding a bed covered in a homemade quilt. Aisling was sitting at the drawing desk, her back to the door, working on something. She didn’t hear Spencer come in.

                He crossed the room and peered over her shoulder at the pencil portrait of himself that she was working on. “Does this mean you aren’t mad at me anymore?”

                She jumped. “Spencer?!” She turned around and looked up at him. “What are you doing here?”

                “I knocked. You didn’t hear me.”

                Getting to her feet she wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his chest. Spencer wrapped his arms around her, finding her only wearing a tank top and shorts, much more revealing than what he was used to seeing her in. But her skin was warm and soft and she smelled like the wildflowers she kept around the house.

                “But why are you here?” Aisling looked up at him, her small smile fading. “Did something else happen?”

                Spencer frowned. “Yes. In a way. I found out who called you. That’s why I’m here. I need to take you somewhere safe, you and Murphy.”

                She pulled away from him. “What do you mean you found out who called me?”

                “A man named Connor.”

                She stumbled backwards and fell to a seat on the edge of her bed.

                “Aisling? Are you okay?”  She was pale, paler than normal. “Please talk to me.”

                “He is a very bad man. He is why we moved here. He wasn’t supposed to find us.” Tears were welling up on her long eye lashes.

                Spencer reached up and wiped at the fat tears that spilled over her soft cheeks. He kissed her forehead. “Don’t worry, I wont let anything happen to you. Tomorrow, you and Murphy are going to come and stay at my place. I don’t want to risk someone coming here.”

                The woman nodded.

                “When I come to pick you up tomorrow, I’d like it if you could tell me exactly what happened in Ireland that made you come here. What all happened with Connor and the IRA.”

                “Wait… you’re leaving?” The panic in her voice made his heart clench.

                “Well I… It’s late… and I…”

                “Please don’t go.” Aisling clung to him.

                He held on to her for a moment before he pulled her towards the bed. “It’s late. I’ve interrupted your sleep enough for the night. You should get some rest. I’ll go sleep on the couch.”

                The woman sat down on the edge of the bed and finally released him so she could crawl up and under the blankets. Spencer made his way to the door and looked back at her, making sure she was alright and tucked in. “Good night Aisling.”

                “Good night Spencer.”

                He pulled the door closed but didn’t latch it before he went to the living room and sat down on the couch. After running his hands over his face he leaned back and closed his eyes. IT was going to be an uncomfortable night, but it’d be worth it if he could keep an eye on Aisling.

                Something woke him a short time later, how he had managed to fall asleep, Spencer didn’t know. Getting to his feet, Spencer sought out the sound. He found himself outside of Aisling’s bedroom door.

                “She cries a lot at night.”

                Spencer looked over his shoulder to find Murphy standing in his bedroom doorway behind him.

                “I can’t get used to it.” He frowned. The teenager looked down at Spencer. “Maybe you can get her to stop crying.” He turned back into his room.

                Spencer slowly opened the door to Aisling’s bedroom. It was darker in there and it took a moment for his eyes to adjust completely. Curled up on her side, the blanket half on the floor, Aisling was quietly sniffling, tears dripping down her cheeks.  Kneeling down in front of her, Spencer wiped off her face.

                “Shh.” He mumbled softly. “Everything is alright.” He looked around wondering what exactly he should do. He’d hug her if she were awake but… she wasn’t.  So that left getting on the bed with her which wasn’t very proper. But it wasn’t like he was trying to do anything.

                Geeze, he felt like a teenager all over again.

                After kicking off his shoes, Spencer crawled up onto the bed beside her. Curling up behind her he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her back against his chest. “Shhh…” He kissed the back of her head and mumbled into her hair. “You are just fine.”


	4. Chapter 4

                Spencer woke to the feeling of fingers running through his hair. That blissful sensation. He mumbled incoherently and buried his face in the soft quilt until he heard a quiet giggle. Eyes snapping open, Spencer bolted upright when he recalled where he was. Flushed features looked at the woman sitting beside him still tucked neatly under the blankets.

                “Forgive me I didn’t…”

                “You are fine Spencer.” She smiled at him. “Thank you for keeping me company.”

                “It was my pleasure.” Spencer got to his feet and smoothed out his shirt and then his hair. “I’ll let you get dressed. But we shouldn’t waste much time. I need to get into the office early but I’d like to get you and Murphy to my apartment first so I know you are out of here.”

                The woman nodded to his ramblings and shooed him from the room so she could change. When she emerged a few minutes later she was wearing her normal skirt and sweater. She found Spencer talking on his cell phone in her living room.

                “… my apartment. No. I’m not bringing her in for interrogation. Aisling can come in later when we have more information. Right now I just want her in a safer location.” He paused. “Is Emily here yet?” He saw Aisling behind him. “I’ll be in shortly.” Hanging up his cellphone he put it in his pocket.

                “Everything alright?” Aisling asked as she braided her long hair back.

                “Yes. An old friend and coworker has just arrived from England. She has some information on the case so I need to get into work as soon as I can.”

                Aisling frowned. “Well I can wait until you are done for the day.”

                Spencer looked at her. Images flashed through his head of Emily’s death, her fake one. Of the long drawn out case against Doyle. How ruthless he was.

                Whoever this Connor character was, Spencer physically shuddered at the thought of having someone like that, who was supposedly worse than Doyle, getting his hands on Aisling.

                “No. I can not risk you getting hurt. I’ll be late if it means I can get you to my apartment.” Spencer crossed the room and gently ran his hands from her shoulders down to her hands. The warmth of her under his hands helped to calm him.

                The woman nodded. “Alright. I need to go move Murphy along. Or he’ll take forever.”

                When Spencer let her go, Aisling went to hurry along the teenager in the other bedroom. There was some muffled grumbling but eventually Aisling emerged shaking her head.

                “He’s moving.” She smiled softly before turning and gathering up some of her own things.

 

                In the end, Aisling had a few spare clothes and her drawing things and Spencer drove her across the city to his apartment. Murphy however had a swim meet that night. So if he missed school and practice he wouldn’t be allowed to participate. Taking Aisling’s car, he drove himself to school.

                Aisling set her satchel down on Spencer leather sofa and looked around at all the book shelves. “You never let me come to your apartment before.” She commented with a smirk.

                Spencer froze mid stride on his way to his bedroom. “Yes, well, it wasn’t as if I didn’t want you coming here but the opportunity to have you over just never really presented itself. Besides unless you want to read or play chess I don’t have much here in the way of entertainment.”

                The woman giggled. “I’m teasing you again Spencer.” He looked at her with his flushed face and then went in his room to put on clean clothes.

                When he came out in a new button up and cardigan, he found Aisling perusing his extensive book collection. “Make yourself at home. But please refrain from leaving. I’m still not ecstatic with Murphy being in school today but as soon as he is done swimming if you can, get him to come straight here.”

                “I’ll try.” Aisling crossed the room and straightened his tie. “Be safe today.” She added a bit more seriously than she intended.

                Without a word, Spencer leaned down and connected their lips. Then he slipped out the door.

                Once at the BAU Spencer hurried into the conference room where the whole team was gathered, including Emily.

                “Nice of you to join us Reid.” The brunette smiled at him.

                “Sorry I’m late.” Spencer sat down and took the updated case file.

                “So as I was saying…” Emily continued. “The phone number we got from O’Leary’s phone traces back to a burner cell from Liam Connor. Connor was one of Doyle’s right hand men, and quickly rose to the top position after we took him out.” Images of an Irishmen filled the screen behind her. “Conner has pushed gun sales over the top and started a new era of rebellion in Ireland. And to fund the war in Ireland he has started selling guns in other countries.”

                “What does this have to do with our case?” Rossi finally asked.

                Emily pulled up another few images. This time Aisling smiling face filled the screen. “Meet Aisling Connor.” Her image was followed by images of the small cottage she described and a few family photographs of her and her parents.

                Spencer felt his heart just about stop. She was…

                “Her father owed Connor money and didn’t want to join the IRA. According to all our records, she was completely unaware of their connection. But when Connor wanted payment and her father couldn’t afford it he offered her instead.”

                “Are you saying she was forced to marry the head of a crime syndicate?” Morgan asked in disbelief.

                “That’s exactly what I’m saying. And even after giving his daughter as payment, Connor killed her parents anyway.” Emily frowned and looked at Spencer briefly. “Aisling was virtually held hostage for four years before she managed to escape. How she escaped we still don’t know. A few months later however…” New images filled the screen. This time a bloodbath. Another small cottage was torn apart. Two bodies were brutally shot up. Then an image of a smiling family came on screen. Murphy was a young boy in the photograph. “This is the Sulivan family, Sean, Fiona, and Murphy. We believe that Aisling was hiding out at their place,  she was friends with Fiona since primary school. Evidence leads us to believe Connor came looking for Aisling and wiped out the family. The only one we couldn’t find was Murphy. His status at this moment is unknown.”

                “Murphy is fine.” Spencer finally found his voice.

                “How do you know that?” Hotchner asked him.

                Derek chuckled. “Because the giant red head is living with Aisling. She must have took him with her when she ran.”

                “Reid?” Hotchner looked over at the youngest member of their team. “You seem to be taking all of this well.”

                Spencer swallowed hard still trying to process the fact that his girlfriend was married.

                “Spence?” JJ reached over and put a hand on his arm. “Are you okay?”

                His head jerked up and he looked at her. Hurriedly moving hair from his face he looked over at the board where Emily was standing. Everyone was still looking at him. “So um, to repeat what Rossi said earlier, what does all of this have to do with the current case?”

                Emily frowned and continued. “Honestly we lost all track of Aisling. Connor remained active in Europe, or at least the IRA has, but we didn’t know what ever happened to Aisling. When Reid and Garcia pinged Connor’s phone, we realized that Aisling had fled to the United States at some point in the years after.”

                “So did Aisling ever have anything to do with the IRA?” Derek asked as he looked down at his folder.

                “No. She was basically a prisoner in Connor’s home.” New images filled the screen. “The few picture we have of her during her time with them, she was always under heavy guard, often sporting some kind of injury. Never happy.”  

                “Is it safe to assume she never had any part in the IRA business then?” Garcia asked. “Like with the weapons or the murdering?”

                “I think that’s a fair assumption.” Emily nodded.

                “Then who would be responsible for the murders here?” Jennifer asked. “Aisling was our only clue.”

                “That’s why I flew out here. I think Connor tracked her down. I think he is the one killing her clients.” Emily looked around the room before her gaze settled on Spencer. “No one knows Connor like Aisling. If we could talk to her, we might actually get some information that could lead to finding him.”

                Spencer sat there quietly, his mind reeling. This is what she was hiding? All this time? But…

                A throbbing pain ebbed in his chest. He knew she had been hiding something, but he never dreamed that the woman he cared for so much would be hiding something like this.

 

                When Spencer walked in his front door he found Aisling curled up on his sofa quietly sleeping. She looked so peaceful, her golden hair falling in her eyes. He spied his deck of magic trick cards and other items on his coffee tables. The agent had yet to show her any of his magic tricks and she had found all of his paraphernalia. It’d have to wait.

                Kneeling down in front of her, Spencer brushed her hair from her eyes. “Aisling.” He said softly.

                The woman mumbled a bit before opening her eyes and giving him a sleepy smile. “Hi Spencer.” She sat up and smoothed out her hair. “How is the case going?”

                Spencer avoided looking at her. “That’s what I’m here to talk to you about.”

                Her brow furrowed. “Spencer? Is something wrong?” She found his hand.

                “Do you remember how I said my friend was coming from Euroup?” She nodded. “Well she specializes in international terrorist groups. Groups like the IRA.” He could feel her Tense. “She has been tracking their leader for quite some time even followed their change in leadership from Ian Doyle to Liam Connor.” Looking up at her, Spencer watched the color drain from her face.

                “Spencer I don’t want to talk about this.” He watched her reflexively scoot away from him. She was getting defensive, not of him but of something she feared, this topic. Connor.

                “Aisling. We think he is here. We think he is the one coming the murders in the city.” By now he had scooted up to a seat on the couch beside her. “He is looking for you…Isn’t he?”

                She started to tremble so Spencer put an arm around her shoulders. He took a deep breath before asking the big question he wanted to know the answer to.

                “Why didn’t you tell me you were married?”

                She looked up at him, tears ready to spill from her eyes. “I never married that man. He shoved a ring on my hand and locked me in a room like I was his fucking prize! He treated me like I was some toy. I had no say in anything! I never wanted to be there. I never wanted to be near him!” She buried her face in her hands.

                He hadn’T expected her answer to be so volatile. He wrapped her arms around her and pulled her against his chest as he tried to figure out some solution. His brain scrambled with multiple different things. He needed to figure out how to keep her safe and catch Connor. He also needed to figure out how to keep pursuing a relationship with a woman who was technically married. Obviously the former was of primary importance but he couldn’t help the latter thought from clouding his mind.

                “Shhh…” He ted to calm her. “Don’t worry we will figure this all out. I promise.” After kissing the top of her head he smoothed her hair back and tried to get her to look at him. “This would all go much faster and we could catch him easier if you would come in to my office and talk to my friends though. I know you don’t like talking about things, but it would help.”

                She sniffled a bit but slowly nodded.

                Wiping a tear away he smiled. “Good. I really appreciate it.”

 

                Aisling was sitting in a meeting room at the BAU. She was feverishly drawing in the sketch book she insisted on bringing when Derek walked in. She didn’t look up.

                “Miss O’Leary?” Morgan said as he stepped in but again Aisling didn’t really acknowledge him.

                The man sat down across from her with a folder and simply watched her for a moment before he opened the folder and then looked back to her. “Or isn’t it really Mrs. Connor?”

                Her pencil stopped. “Please don’t call me that.”

                “Alright then I need you to talk to me Miss O’Leary. About Liam Connor.”

                Her pencil started to move again. “He’s a true patriot. He will only frequent establishments that are owned or ran by true Irish. Bars, stores, restaurants, that sort of thing. If you cross him or disrespect him out in public he’ll just smile and let you go, but that night is when he’ll get you back. That is of course unless  you are one of his men. Then instant punishment no matter where you are.” She erased something quickly before flipping the page and starting something new. “He has a predilection for small blondes.” Her eyes met Derek’s briefly before she looked back to her paper.

                “Is that why he picked you?”

                “No. I’m why he likes small blondes.” She sighed. “I met Liam in primary. He was a few years older than I was. A nice boy, at least I thought so at the time. He didn’t live too far away so he’d walk me home from school and sometimes he’d help my father out around the house and with the sheep. But he wasn’t my type. In secondary he asked me to formal but I turned him down. He got violent and put the boy I was going with in the hospital. It was around then that he started hanging out with odd people. I didn’t know who they were then but it makes sense now that they were probably the IRA or some other gang.”

                Derek was taking notes while the woman kept drawing and talking.

                “He’d come around every now and again, insist on taking me out to dinner or something. But then he’d always go off and talk to my dad about something. I never knew what. All I know is that our family’s finances were slowly getting worse and worse. Then my dad made his stupid bargain.” She spit out the last words as her hand came to a stop.

                The agent across the table noticed that her hand was shaking. “Aisling…” His voice was soft. “Look at me.”

                Her bright eyes met his.

                “I know this is hard but we need to talk about what happened while you were with Connor. Did you want a female agent in here instead?”

                She shook her head. “No.” She took a deep breath. “You are Spencer’s best friend. I’m just… sad that we couldn’t have met under different circumstances.”

                “Me too. He really cares about you, so I’m going to do everything I can to make sure we keep you safe and figure this out. So can you tell me about your time with Connor?”

                Aisling went back to drawing. “He was abusive when I fought him. I had to be perfectly obedient. And then even when I did something slightly wrong even just like spilling something he would hit me. It took a few weeks before he forced me into a pathetic excuse of a wedding ceremony. I sold the ring when I got to the states and used it to help get fake identification papers for Murphy and myself. Anyway… I was with him for two years and he did all sorts of unthinkable things to me, I was his wife after all so…” A few tears slipped off her cheeks.

                “How did you manage to escape?”

                “Even though we were married he never told me anything about his business. But of course I knew then. Just not specifics. He had a meeting one morning and needed extra security so my normal detail of four was taken down to two men. I waited until one was in the bathroom or something and I quite literally hit the one left on the head with a lamp from my night stand. IT shattered in my hands there was blood everywhere, his head was cut and so were my hands. I don’t really remember who was bleeding more. It was spring but being under constant guard, I had no chance to run before. So I ran out to my balcony and climbed over it. It was about a ten foot drop, I sprained my ankle but I ran. I kept running until I cleared his property and I made it to the town. I looked a mess and I bumped into an old friend. She told me my parents were dead and they all thought I was too. She took me to her house and said she’d hide me in her cottage with her husband and little boy.”

                “How long did you stay with them?”

                “For a few months. Then one day I was playing in the backyard with Murphy when I heard a scream. There were gunshots and then silence. I grabbed Murphy’s hand and we ran into the tree line.”  She had to stop drawing, her voice and hands were shaking. “I got my only friends killed. All they wanted to do was help me and I got them all killed.”

                “You saved their son. I’m sure they’d be incredibly grateful for that.” Derek tried to comfort her. “Why don’t you tell me about coming to the U.S.”

                “I sold my ring. I found someone to forge up some fake papers for Murphy and I. Once I had a new Identity I took Murphy to a small airport in Galway. We bounced between a few airports before finally getting here. I thought being in a city we’d be able to hide and blend in more. Apparently I was wrong.”

                Derek went to stand and discuss what he had learned with the rest of the team but the woman across the table started to tear pages out of her sketch book and slide them across the table. Pausing Derek picked up the pages and looked at the drawings. “What are these?” There were two photographic renderings of men he hadn’t seen before. And then a page of symbols under a very artfully scripted version of her name.

                “Those would be his top two men. Seamus and Aiden. The other are all of Liam’s tattoos. He routinely gets them touched up. But as I said before, only at authentically owned Irish establishments. Find a tattoo shop owned and run by an Irishmen and you may have luck finding him.”

                Nodding Derek took the drawings and his notes and left Aisling alone in the meeting room to meet the others in their conference room. He wasn’t surprised to find Spencer standing outside the one way mirror. After shutting the door Derek stepped up to his friend and put a hand on his shoulder.

                “Ried… She didn’t have a part in this. I’m positive she is just as much of a victim as anyone else.”

                His sharp gaze shifted from the woman on the other side of the glass to the tall man at his side. But Reid said nothing. His brain still wasn’t sure how to process what he was learning. Sure he knew all the information, he had heard all of these kind of things before, but never when it was someone _he_ cared about. All the things that she had been through…

                “Come on, lets go brief the others. I need you to separate yourself from this.”

                “Separate myself?!” Spencer snapped.

                Derek held up his hands. “Just for the next few minutes. Think about everything we are discussing. The things she told me, the things _you_ know about her. We need your big brain to help us analyze all this.”

                Spencer looked back at Aisling through the mirror, she was drawing again, her face hidden behind a veil of hair. “Alright.”

 

                Their meeting was taking longer than Spencer wanted, but they still didn’t know much of where to go. They had more insight of who Liam Connor was, and now they knew who his right hands were but they had no idea who his next targets would be. Aisling had over a dozen clients in the last year. The targets hadn’t been picked in any real order. Then there were still the strange marks on the victims backs that no one could explain.

                “I can track down all the Irish owned and managed businesses in the tristate but that will be a lot of ground to cover.” Garcia sighed.

                “Only go with business that are first generation Irish or immigrant run. If this guy is as devoted as Aisling says he won’t go just to any Irish descendant.” Spencer was speaking in his normal detached way.

                “What are we going to do about his next victims?” JJ spoke up. “O’Leary had too many clients for us to get them all protection. How are we going to figure out who is next on his list to target?”

                A gentle knock on the door stopped everyone. They watched as an officer escorted Aisling into the room. Before she could see anything, Emily turned off the screen behind her.

                “Pardon the intrusion,” She said softly, her accent heavier after the long day. “May I speak with you spencer?”

                Spencer glanced to Hotcher who nodded and then he got to his feet and left the room with the woman he cared about. “What is it? Is everything alright?” He asked, his hand already moving down the length of her arm, anything to touch her and just feel that her presence was still there.

                She gave him a tiny smile. “I’ll be fine in a little while.” At least it was an honest answer. “Murphy’s meet ended. I gave him your address but I locked your apartment when  I left.”

                Spencer felt his brow furrow. They still needed him here. “I still have some things I need to do here…”

                “I know.” Aisling took his hand. “I just need a ride back to your place so I can make sure Murphy can get in.”      

                Spencer took a spare key off his key ring and pressed it into her palm before he gave her a cheek a kiss. “I’ll be home in a few hours.” His gaze turned to the uniformed man a few feet a way. “Take her to my apartment please. Keep watch out front until I get there.”

                The man nodded.

                Spencer gave her one more kiss before he turned and went back into the conference room.


	5. Chapter 5

                It took so much longer than Spencer thought necessary. But they finally had some kind of game plan. They were going to pose as some clients of Aisling’s and use a few safe houses as bait locations. At least they could observe and hold out at safe houses. It was easier than trying to use a real client, or trying to figure out which client would be next.

                After parking his car Spencer ran his hand over his face and dismissed the guard outside. He drug his feet up to his second floor apartment. He opened the door quietly and found Aisling sleeping on the couch with his favorite Sherlock Holms novel on her stomach. There was a gentle snoring coming from his spare bedroom, Murphy had clearly made himself at home.

                Once his bag was hung up in it proper place, Spencer knelt down beside Aisling. He brushed her hair out of her face with his slender fingers and kissed her forehead. The woman finally looked relaxed again, he hated seeing the stress and sadness from the interrogation mar her beautiful freckles.

                She mumbled a bit before her bright green eyes fluttered open.  A sleepy smile crossed her face.

                “I’m sorry.”

                Her smile faded. “For what are you apologizing?”

                His gaze fell. “Everything. This case. My friends bringing you into work and interrogating you like a suspect…. What he did to you…” He slowly brought his eyes to meet hers. “I wish I could fix it. I’ve never been in a position where I’ve felt so helpless. I’ve always been able to think my way through situations. Find the solution, find the best outcome, find the most logical route. But with this… with you… I have no idea… I am so confused. I can’t stand the thought of what he did to you. But I don’t know how to make it right.”

                Her hands slid up to his cheeks and held his gaze on hers. “You already make it right.” She gave him a smile, a real one. “You treat me like I’m a real person and care for me, for me. You make me feel like I’m worth something.”

                Spencer felt his heart hammer in his chest before he leaned forward and connected their lips. This kiss was much harder than previous ones. A bit clumsier and messier but just as full of emotion and passion. His hand slid up into her hair as he leaned up on the sofa by her. The woman’s own small arms wrapped around him as her mouth moved against him. The pair had kissed plenty of times in the past few months, but nothing quite as intense as this. Spencer knew where things could go but, he didn’t want to pressure her, especially knowing what he knew now about her past. Besides it wasn’t as if he was all that experienced, he didn’t quite know exactly how to escalate things.

                Not that he needed to know, because it seemed that Aisling had her mind already made up. When Spencer broke their kiss to breathe, The woman got to her feet. At first Spencer was a bit shocked, almost scared he had done something wrong. “Aisling?” His voice was quiet.  She didn’t answer him, instead she grabbed his hand and started to pull him towards his bedroom. The man didn’t say a word.

                Spencer watched as she shut the door behind him and then turned to face him in the dimly lit room.  Without a word, her delicate hands started to unfasten the buttons on Spencer’s sweater and then they made quick work of his tie. Spencer on the other hand hesitated a bit, his hands shaking as he tried to remove her sweater and drop it to the floor. His shaking stopped when Aisling reconnected their lips. That’s when instinct took over and the man stopped trying to think out every action. His hands peeled off the undershirt the woman was wearing and dropped it by his feet before his hands returned to the warm skin it had been concealing. When he pulled her close, he could feel her against the bare skin of his chest , unaware of at what point his own shirt had been cast aside.

                They were on the bed not too much later, the rest of their clothes discarded to the floor as they wrapped themselves in one another and shared a night of bliss.

 

                Spencer woke when the sun came through his curtains and landed across his face.  He squinted and rubbed his eyes a bit before they snapped open and he realized where he was and what had taken place just a few hours ago. Looking beside him he found a naked Aisling curled up, half coved by his sheets.  Heat burned his cheeks as he recalled the things they had done, but he found himself smiling. Turning on his side, Spencer pulled the blanket up over her exposed form and kissed her.

                The woman grinned and snuggled into his chest. “Maidin mhaith.”

                Spencer opened his mouth to ask her about breakfast but the sound of his cell phone cut him off. “I should really turn that off now and then.”     

                Aisling smiled and watched him roll over to retrieve the device from the pocket of his pants on the floor.

                Pressing the phone to his ear, the smile on spencer’s face disappeared as he looked at Aisling. The woman’s own smile disappeared as she watched his expression change. “Understood. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”  Spencer hung up the phone with a sigh.

                “Spencer?”

                He leaned over and kissed her quickly. “I have to get to work.” He pulled the blankets back, his face turning red for a brief moment when he revealed his nakedness before he moved to gather clothes.

                “So early?” The woman sat up, holding the blanket up over herself, her hair a tangled mess as she watched him move about the room.

                “There has been…. A new development.”

                Aisling frowned. “A new murder?”

                Spencer hung his head. He didn’t want to lie to her. “Yes.” He looked at her sadly. “I need to get a shower. I’ll just be a few minutes.” He stepped into the bathroom and quickly jumped under the falling stream of water.  Once he was clean and dressed he reemerged in his room, but Aisling was gone, the bed empty.

                Shuffling out in the other room took his attention, so after grabbing his shoes he made his way to the source. Aisling stood at the counter wearing her clothes from the night before as she waited for the tea pot on the stove to heat.

                Coming up behind her, Spencer kissed the back of her head where her blonde locks were still tangled. “I’ll call you if I learn anything new.”

                She turned around and wrapped her arms around his thin waist. “Promise me you’ll be safe.”

                “I promise.” He returned her embrace. “Just promise me you will stay here. And please convince Murphy to skip school today.”

                She chuckled a bit. “I’ll do my best.”

                Leaning down, he connected their lips briefly before heading out the door and to work.

 

                Spencer arrived on the scene of the latest body dump in some alley in D.C. “What do we have Morgan?” He adjusted his coat as he walked up to his friend to inspect the scene.

                “William Hatfield. Twenty –five. No criminal record of any kind. Lives in Virginia.”

                Spencer hunched down to look at the bloody smear that was left behind where the body had been laying just a few hours ago. “Did the body have the same cuts on its back?”

                Derek nodded. “Yeah but they didn’t match any of the others.” He flipped through his notes. “Hatfield was engaged but we are having trouble locating his fiancée Maria Porter.”

                “Do you think Connor took her too?”

                “Maybe, but if this is Connor, it’d be a serious change in MO. He’s never taken two at the same time before. Or two that were connected to each other in a way other than through O’Leary.”

                “True, but she could have come across him in the act. Or he had no choice.” Spencer straightened, his gaze drifting out to the street and the cops milling around. “Or maybe he has something else planned entirely.”

                Morgan was on the phone with Garcia to put a missing person’s alert out for the fiancée, everyone in the tri-state area would be looking for her. Hopefully she was just out at a friend’s house but, these cases never seemed to go that way.

                “I thought we had a few decoy’s set up?” JJ asked as she approached. “How are we supposed to catch this guy if we can’t even predict his next target?”

                “I don’t know.” Rossi scratched his head. “We just aren’t using the right bait.”

                Spencer looked at him. “Don’t even think about it. I am not putting Aisling in a position where she can be used as bait for a mad man.”

 

                “You aren’t doing it!” Murphy slammed his fist down on the table.

                “Murphy please be reasonable.” Aisling put her hand on his but he jerked it away.

                “No!” He shouted. “I won’t let you! If you call that mad man, meet him…. He will kill you!”

                Aisling hung her head. “And if I don’t go, more innocent people will die! I can’t have that on my conscious!”

                Murphy dropped to his knees in front of her and wrapped thick arms around her waist as she sat at the small breakfast table in Reid’s apartment. “But what’ll happen if I lose you?” He mumbled into her sweater. “you are the only family I have.”

                “I can’t just let more people die.”  She stroked his head. “I’ll make you a deal. I’ll call the FBI and have them help me do it. Will that make you feel better?”

                Murphy looked at her, tears clinging to his eyes. “No. Connor will kill them just to get to you.”

                Aisling sighed. “I have to at least try. I’m tired of running from him Murph. I just want to live and be happy.”      

                When the teenager let her go, the woman pulled out her cell phone and dialed a few numbers before pressing it to her ear.

                “Morgan.”

                “Agent Morgan?”

                “Miss O’Leary?”  Derek seemed confused to hear the irish woman’s voice. “Is everything alright?” He was currently looking across the room at his friend and her boyfriend.

                “Yes Agent I just… I need your help with something.”    

                Derek set his coffee down, gaze still fixed on Spencer as he talked with Emily. “ _My_ help?”

                “Yes. I just… I don’t think Spencer would approve of what I’d like to do. But I think I may be able to help you.”

               

                An hour later, Aisling found herself sitting at a table in a small Irish pub on the other side of the city. She was casually sipping a cup of tea, but the death grip on the cup was all she could do to keep her hand from trembling.

                There were several other people milling about the small establishment, but so far non she recognized and none that looked like anyone from law enforcement. Good, she had told Morgan they needed to stay away .

                Taking another sip she didn’t see the familiar face approaching.

                “What the hell are you doing here?”

                “Murphy?” Her eyes got wide. “What are you…”

                He grabbed her arm. “We are leaving.”

                “No. Murphy. _You_ need to leave. Now.” Her eyes darted around the room franticly.

 

                “I don’t like this.” Morgan muttered.

                “What, sending a woman in there with no back up or not telling Spencer that his girlfriend is trying to lure a serial killer and gun smuggler for us?” JJ asked him.

                “Both.” He sighed and put the small binoculars to his face. “Wait… something is happening.”

 

                “Excuse me? Is everything okay over here?” A young woman approached Aisling and Murphy as they stood at her table arguing.

                Aisling finally pulled her arm from his grip and smoothed out her shirt. “Yes everything is fine.” She forced a smile.

                “Good.” The waitress smiled. “Because Liam is waiting for you.” Her smile warped into a twisted grin.

                “Ais!” Murphy reached for her but never made it, Instead he screamed as a knife was plunged into his back by the elderly man sitting at the nearby table. Then he was stabbed in the back over and over again.

                Aisling screamed and tried to run but something connected with the side of her skull. The room spun before everything turned black and she fell to the floor.

                By the time that Derek and the rest of the FBI came crashing through the door, everyone was gone, except for a bleeding Murphy.

                Coughing and wheezing on the floor, JJ tried to sooth the poor boy until EMS arrived but all he could talk about was the woman that had been looking out for him for most of his life.  He lost consciousness before the ambulance arrived and they rushed him to the nearest hospital.

                “Is the boy going to make it?” Garcia asked when Morgan called her.

                “The paramedics said it’d be a tough fight but the kids pretty tough so… we will see. JJ rode to the hospital with him.”

                “Don’t you think it’s time we told Spencer?” She asked. “This is his girlfriend we are talking about. And I don’t know how much longer Rossi can keep him entertained with word games and puzzles. He’s smart enough to realize this is a distraction.”

                “I’ll call Emily and have her tell him since she is still back at the office.”

                “This isn’t going to go well Derek.”  
                “Come on baby girl, I need my strong support back there.”

                She paused. “You get that support back when we stop doing things behind our friend’s back.” She hung up on him.

 

                “I don’t understand what this has to do with the case?” Spencer pushed the papers aside. “This is all pointless.”

                “It’s not pointless Reid, it’s-”

                “No Reid, it is pointless.” Emily walked into the conference room and ran a hand through her long brown hair.

                The two men looked up at her.

                “What’s going on Emily?” Spencer straightened up.

                “Look Spencer… we didn’t want to but… it was the only way and…”

                By now he was on his feet, brow furrowed in one of his rare expressions of true anger. “What did you do?”

                “It was all her idea Spencer. She wanted to do it.” Emily was speaking slowly and calmly, doing her best to try and calm her friend down but it wasn’t working.

                “Wanted to do what?!” His hand beat down on the table, his own anger surprising even himself.

                Emily recoiled. “She was bait to draw Connor out.”

                His shoulders fell and Spencer nearly fell to a seat. How could they put her in that much danger to catch this man?  But then his ears twitched and he felt his stomach churn. “Why did you say _was_?”

                Emily forced him to sit down. “Something happened. The whole thing was a set up. Everyone in the restaurant was with Connor. They took Aisling and Murphy is now at the hospital.”

                “You let him take her?!” Spencer felt fear taking hold of him. He was shaking with both anger and fear. Raw emotion was so confusing and hard to understand. Spencer had such little experience with it.

                “Reid, we will get her back.” Emily put a hand on his shoulder but he immediately jerked away from her.

                “I can’t… I don’t...” His brain was struggling to process. He didn’t know what to do. Grabbing at his hair he got to his feet and stormed out of the room.

                                                                                                                                                         


End file.
